RTVE collaborates with the Autonomous University of Barcelona in an innovative television accessibility service

RTVE in Catalonia hosts tests for the development of a pioneering system of sign language on television in Spain.

RTVE Corporation is participating as an observer in the European R&D consortium HBB4ALL that develops research into connected television and media accessibility systems.

Within the framework of this activity, RTVE in Catalonia hosts tests for the development of new sign language services on television.

The leader of the HBB4ALL project, the Autonomous University of Barcelona, has requested the collaboration of RTVE, which provides the Sant Cugat facilities to make sign language recordings. These images will be used in the experimental phase to work on the formal characteristics of sign language insertion on television.

Tasks aimed at developing a pioneering accessibility service in Spain for deaf people, who could watch television in the usual format and, through connected television, receive the superimposed image in sign language. It is estimated that around 350,000 users could use this service daily.

This collaboration between RTVE and the Autonomous University of Barcelona reinforces the role of both public entities in R&D matters at the European level, as well as their public service value.

The tests carried out in Sant Cugat are part of RTVE's participation as an observer in the European consortium HBB4ALL (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband for all). This is a project co-financed by the European Commission and by partners from complementary fields (universities, television channels and broadcasters, research centers and SMEs) to advance accessibility to the media for all citizens. RTVE shares the role of observer with BBC, France TV and the French Film Producers Association.

To develop new accessibility services, HBB4ALL partners work in the connected television environment HbbTV, a standard increasingly adopted by European broadcasters. Among the next challenges is the creation of multi-platform audiovisual content (at any time, anywhere and from any device) and making this content accessible through subtitles, audio description and sign language.